Day of Humiliation and Prayer
The Synod resolved that “Wednesday, 25th November 1981, be held as a day of humiliation and prayer throughout the Church to confess our sins which contribute to the relative absence of the power of the Holy Ghost in our Assemblies, to blush and pray as did Ezra on account of the accelerating pace of our national spiritual and moral backslidings and cry to the Lord for a revelation of His glorious grace and mercy in the midst of deserved wrath, through the infinite merits of His dear Son.”
Induction at Staffin
The short-lived vacancy at Staffin congregation terminated on Tuesday 22nd September when the Rev. D.A. MacLennan, Uig, Lewis was inducted as the minister of the Staffin Free Presbyterian congregation. A large and representative congregation, augmented by friends from localities as far apart as Glasgow, Oban, Inverness and Harris, gathered to witness the solemn yet joyful event. The Moderator, Rev. D. Nicolson presided. The Edict was returned duly served and attested and Edictal proclamation made. The Clerk then preached from 1 Corinthians 15:9, stressing mainly the sovereign, saving nature of the supernatural grace of God and its glorious, practical and edifying results in Paul’s Apostleship. Thereafter a narrative of the steps in filling the vacancy was given. Rev
D.A. MacLennan then returned satisfactory answers to the questions put by the Moderator. After reading the Formula, it was subscribed in presence of the congregation by Mr MacLennan. The Moderator then solemnly inducted Rev. D.A. MacLennan to the pastoral charge of the Staffin Free Presbyterian congregation and was followed by the brethren in the Presbytery in extending the right hand of fellowship to him. The newly-inducted minister was addressed in solemn and suitable terms by the Moderator and the congregation addressed most fittingly in a few well chosen words by Rev. H.I. MacKinnon, Strath.
This settlement, which engendered so much joy and enthusiasm in the congregation afforded the Presbytery no little ground for gratitude to the great Head of the Church. Two inductions in such quick succession greatly encouraged the depleted Skye Presbytery and gave fresh hope of better days in Skye.
We earnestly pray that the ministry now begun will be richly owned of God in the conversion of souls, the edification of the Church, and the strengthening of the distinctive witness of the Free Presbyterian Church in this part of the Lord’s vineyard.
Fraser MacDonald, Clerk.
Meetings of Presbytery (D.V.)
Outer Isles: At Stornoway on 3rd November at 2 p.m.
Australia & New Zealand: At Auckland on 29th January 1982 at 2.30 p.m.
Skye: At Portree on 9th February 1982 at 11 a.m.
Dumbarton Manse Fund Closed
The Dumbarton Deacon’s Court wish to make known that the Dumbarton Manse Fund is now fully subscribed. After payment of the remaining debt, any surplus will (D.V.) be transferred to the congregational account, from which future Manse charges will be paid. All contributors are warmly thanked for their generous support.
Appeal for Financial Support for the Church’s Zimbabwe Mission
At a meeting of the Foreign Mission Committee the present financial needs of the Free Presbyterian Church’s Mission in Zimbabwe were carefully reviewed.
The Committee expressed their sincere appreciation of the generosity of friends in Holland in providing large sums of money through the
Mbuma Zending in support of our Mission during recent years to this present time.
Nevertheless, following the period of political unrest, much financial outlay has been needed.
Under Dr James Tallach, the hospital at Mbuma has been restored to former operational standards, with qualified nursing staff. New houses for teachers are essential. There is increased outlay for Mission staff salaries. Replacement of defective Mission transport is called for: and there is additional expenditure considered desirable for the running of the Mission.
At the present time there is urgent need for increased financial assistance from the Church in Scotland to meet outlay already incurred.
The Committee earnestly appeal to our Congregations and friends to respond now as generously as they possibly can as the Lord may enable them.
Congregations should be made aware of this Appeal: and Collections such as Retiring Collections might be arranged as soon as possible: and the money forwarded to General Treasurer, Mr Wm. D. Fraser, 20 Daleview Avenue, Kelvindale, Glasgow, without delay.
The Mission stands for the Gospel of “the unsearchable riches of Christ”.
Acknowledgment of Donations
The General Treasurer, Mr Wm. D. Fraser, 20 Daleview Avenue, Glasgow, G12 0HE, acknowledges the following donations with sincere thanks:—
Sustentation Fund: Mr & Mrs D. MacLeod, West Tarbert, £60.
Home Mission Fund: Mr & Mrs D. Macleod, West Tarbert, £40.
Jewish and Foreign Mission Fund: Anon., £1,000 for Mission in Zimbabwe; Anon., Glasgow postmark, £10.
Aged & Infirm Ministers’ etc Fund: Psalm 42 v. 4, £25. Trinitarian Bible Society — Psalm 42 v. 4, £5.
The Publications Treasurer acknowledges with sincere thanks the following donation:—
Free Distribution Fund: Friend, Larne, £4.
The Treasurers of the following Congregations acknowledge with sincere thanks the following donations:—
Barnoldswick: B.W., England £20; Friends, Gairloch £30; Anon, Glasgow, £5, both per R. Middleton; Dingwall Friend £50 per Dr R.K. MacCuish; Anon £20; E.K. £10, all for Building Fund; E.K. £5 for Communion Expenses; Lochcarron Friend, £5 per T. De-Lacey; Inverness Friend, £45, both for General or Congr. Funds.
Dumbarton: R. & E. McD. £13 for Manse Fund, £7 for Organisation Fund; Friend, £5; Mrs Rankin, £10, both in plate for Congr. Fund. (Dumbarton Manse Fund is now closed — see notice in Church Notes).
Fort William: Friend, Harris £5; Friend, Meavaig, £5; Friend, Harris, £5, all per Rev. J.A. MacDonald; J.R. MacK. £7 per Mrs Cameron; Mrs C. MacK. £5 per D. MacN for Minibus; Envelope in plate £1; In ever loving memory of a beloved son and brother, Job 1 verse 21, £10 per F.F. for Sust. Fund; Friend of the Cause, Caol £2 for Sust. Fund per Rev. J.A. MacDonald; Miss E.O.G., Edinburgh, £5 for most needy fund (Env in plate).
Greenock: R.H.C., Bangor, N.I. £15 for Congr. Purposes; A Friend, Lochcarron, £10 for Sust. Fund, per Rev. L. MacLeod.
Kyle: Friend, Kyle £2 per Rev. A. Murray; J. & A. Mack., 25 Wemyss Place, Kyle, £5, both for Plockton communion expenses; Envelope in plate £10 for Sust. Fund; J. & A. Mack. £10; Envelope in plate £20; Anon, Lochcarron, £5; Envelope in plate £10, all for Manse Fund.
Lochbroom: Two Dingwall Friends £5 for Communion Expenses.
Ness: From the estate of the late Miss Mary Morrison, Ness £100; Mr & Mrs M., Skigersta, £10; Friend, North Tolsta, £5; Friend, London per Rev. W.M. £30, all for Congr. Funds; Mr & Mrs A.M., Glasgow, £20 for new windows in Skigersta meeting house; Friends, U.S.A. \$500; Friend, Edinburgh, £100, both for Congr. Purposes.
Shieldaig: Anon £2; Inverness Friend £10, both for Building Fund; Dingwall Friend, £2 for Sust. Fund, per Rev. D. Campbell.
Staffin: J.N.D., Portree £20 for Communion Expenses; J. & R. £5 for Communion door collection; Friend, Staffin, £20; Anon, Staffin, £20 both for Manse decorating, all per M.M.I. Friend, £10 “for extra expenses at the moment” per M.M.
Stornoway: Mr A.N. £2 for Organisation Fund, £5 for Home Missions, £1.60 for Church door collections, £25 for Sust. Fund, per Mr Neil Murray; Anon, £10; Anon, £5; Friends, North Tolsta, £20 per Rev. J. MacLeod; Miss C.M. £10 per Mr Neil Murray, last 2 for Sust. Fund.
Strath: Mr J.G. £5 per M. MacLeod; Anon, £2 (in plate), both for Sust. Fund.
Tomatin: Envelope in plate £30 for Congr. Expenses.
Wick: Two friends: N.T. £20 for Wick Congr. per Rev. R.R. Sinclair.